Puppy Love
by Stained Blue
Summary: And they call it puppy love. Just a little drabble from Randy's POV


Title: Puppy Love  
Note: And they call it puppy love.  
Pairing: Perceived Stottlemeyer/Monk

He spent a lot of time trying really hard to impress the Captain. He knew his guy friends would call it a man crush; Natalie would probably call it something sickening like puppy love. He preferred the term hero worship.

Every time he had the chance, he was interjecting himself into the Captain's life and trying to get the Captain to accept him, appreciate him…really notice him. But it was hard. Actually, nearly impossible. Monk, as much as he liked him, was always in his way, because when Monk was around the Captain only had eyes for _him_. Everything and everyone else in the room would disappear in the Captain's world. And he wanted that sole attention.

For as much as he appreciated Monk and his help, sometimes he just wished the flawed, brilliant man would stay out of the homicide office.

He wasn't stupid…well not really. He noticed the changes in the Captain's voice when he grew agitated; the stressed way he'd say "Randy" when he tried to keep up with Monk and put in his two cents; the little frown that graced the full mouth under that thick mustache when he just didn't know when to quit. No, he wasn't stupid. He saw it. And every little disappointment that he gave the Captain, he noted and tried to be better. But it was hard.

He just wasn't Monk.

Natalie walked over to him, handed him a cup of real coffee, and together they watched Monk move slowly, quietly around the crime scene. She bumped his arm with her elbow, smiling, "He really is amazing." Unable to help himself, he smiled, but then he caught the look on the Captain's face. It was a look that came across his face _only_ when Adrian Monk was involved.

He wasn't blind. No, he saw the look of devotion on the Captain's face when he looked at Monk. Heard it in the way he said the other's name. Monk was the most used contact in the Captain's phone, the only person on speed dial. He clenched his fingers around his coffee cup and let out a rough breath.

The Captain called Monk's name, and the other man swung his head around. There was something childlike in the behavior, the slight smile that touched the flawed man's mouth staring at the Captain. There was a brief moment of silence, and the two men stared at each other. There was trust there that had been hard won through death, betrayal, failures.

When he saw them look at each other like that, he knew that there wasn't a chance for him in the equation. When he saw the way the Captain stared at Monk, or vise versa, he knew that to them, there was no one else as important in the world.

Natalie touched his shoulder, and he looked over at her. She smiled, and then tilted her head back toward the pair, now bent and moving across the crime scene together as the Captain tried to see it through Monk's eyes. "The Captain loves you Randy, just like Mr. Monk loves me…but they don't love anyone nearly half as much as they love each other." She gave him a sad smile, and he nodded.

And of course it was just that simple.

With a sigh, he tilted his head down and sipped at the coffee in his cup. "Yeah, I know…it's just hard. I keep thinking that maybe I can change his mind." He laughed softly, looking over at Natalie as she lifted a hand and rubbed his back. She smiled sadly at him, and then jerked her head over toward the pair. "They love each other, in their own weird, dysfunctional way. I'm just glad I get to see that love; it gives me hope." He nodded again.

There was nothing he could do but accept her words as truth, considering he could see the truth right in front of his eyes.

The Captain's deep laugh called their attention to the pair, and he watched as the Captain slapped Monk on his back slightly, his fingers curling gently against the other man's back. He saw the smile that Monk gave him, pleased to make the Captain happy. He could see the love, and he'd just have to let his little hero worship issue go.

After all, what he had was just puppy love. What they had was real.


End file.
